**Exciting News Alert** I just got a new job! I will be working as a Design Center Consultant for a production and custom homebuilder here in Austin! I will be working to help people who are purchasing new homes to design the finishes (flooring, doors, tile, paint, you name it) for their houses! Now, as excited as I am for this new opportunity, I am also a little nervous. I have made my own schedule and worked from home for most of the last 5 years (and beyond). I am one of those weird self starters that can get stuff done from home, all be it a strange schedule, but gosh darn it, I get it done! I’ve had a TON of freedom and pretty much have been able to take off whenever I wanted to. This new job will be a whole new ballgame!
Enter… Structure.
The last time I worked in an office was about 5 years ago when I lived in Oklahoma City. It was my second real 8 to 5 job and I worked in a giant metal building in a room in the center of the building with no windows… Let’s just say, I did not handle this situation well. I NEED sunlight!! Also, working in a metal building in the middle of tornado alley = not ideal. My desk space was so bleak that my mom gave me a painting of an outdoor scene and a fan that looked like an owl to make me feel like I had a window to look out of and a natural breeze coming in from said window. This office was SAD.
Fast forward to 2019. My new office is cute! IT HAS WINDOWS! It’s not in a metal building (hallelujah)! And, guys… my desk faces the window!! They didn’t even know about my past windowless trauma! Now, in this new job, I shouldn’t be spending all that much time at my desk, but in an effort to enjoy this new structure and be ok with being inside for the majority of my day, I have looked up some tips and tricks for “surviving” my structured new venture!
- Make your desk space enjoyable! I went on a little shopping adventure to Target and got myself some desk decorations. I’m treating this like a mini room. I tried to incorporate things that make me happy, like mini picture frames to put photos of my family and friends. I got a notepad that I will love looking at everyday, some miniature artwork to lean against my cubical wall, and even a tiny vase to put some fresh flowers every week! Heres what I got:
- Bring some nature in your space! Just like in number one, you can get yourself some fresh flowers every week, have a little desk terrarium, or simply just have a little houseplant that doesn’t take up too much room on your desk.
- WATER! Guys, this one is important. This was a trick that I used in my OKC job. When you have a desk, you tend to not walk much throughout the day and this is NOT good for you! Drinking lots of water = lots of trips to the bathroom. Might sound weird, but trips to the bathroom break up your day a bit, gets you some steps in, annnnd hydration is GOOD for you!! Get yourself something you enjoy drinking out of. I have gotten myself a cute coffee mug and my husband got me two Yeti’s that I love. One traditional tumbler and another that is a water bottle with a revolutionary straw lid that we discovered!
- Bring yourself a blankie! Nobody likes feeling like your in Antarctica when you’re in your office. Bring yourself a snuggly blanket so you’re never miserable when someone went a little nuts with the thermostat. I also like to have a decorative little throw pillow so my chair feels more like a couch than an uncomfortable, rolling, death trap.
- Take walks! By law, you are allowed a lunch break and two 10 minute breaks in your workday. I like to break up my 10 minute breaks and take short walks outside. Since the new building I will be working in is relatively small, I plan to take a quick lap around the building between appointments to get outside for a hot second and to get my blood pumping.
- Get yourself a cute desk calendar/planner! One name… Erin Condren. If you haven’t heard of Erin Condren yet, you’re welcome! I work between a desk calendar and a planner. The desk calendar is great for helping you schedule out meetings and plan timelines. The planner is awesome because you can take it to appointments with you and take notes. However you like to plan, go for it, but I’m telling you, having a cute planner matters! There is something about getting excited about what color the page is going to be next month that keeps me motivated!
- Lastly, live your life! One of the benefits of having a 9 to 6 job is that more often than not, you don’t have to bring your work home with you. As much as possible, try to turn your work brain off when you leave the office. Go home and go for a walk, cook dinner, and hang out with your family and friends. You deserve it!
So tell me, how do you do it? What are your tips and tricks for staying motivated and happy in your workplace??
Meggie Farmer 